Public Safety Welcome Letter

Dear Parents/Guardians,

In the Syracuse City School District, it is important that we provide a safe learning environment for all students, staff and visitors. This year we are implementing a new security tool, Raptor Ware, to further enhance the safety of our school buildings and everyone who enters them. This tool will not only help create a safer learning environment but it will also streamline the visitor entry process.

Raptor Ware is an electronic visitor management system, which will allow all visitors to easily register upon entering a school with any form of a government issued photo identification card. This electronic system will allow the District staff to positively identify all visitors and complete an automatic check against an electronic sex-offender registry national database.

Visitors will be provided a temporary visitor badge once they are cleared through the Raptor system. The badge will need to be prominently displayed throughout the duration of the school visit. Upon completing the visit, during the check out the visitor will return the temporary sticker to the District staff member who issued it.

Thank you,

Thomas Ristoff, Director

Sex Offender Registry Information

In accordance with the Sex Offender Registration Act (Megan’s Law), the Syracuse City School District and the Board of Education support the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Syracuse Police Department in their efforts to inform the community of the presence of individuals with a history of sex offenses, particularly against children. The Board of Education enacted its policy in order to minimize the possibility that the sex offender will come into contact with school-aged children and to assist law enforcement agencies in preventing criminal activity.

The District in cooperation with the Police Department and the local community are working together to promote and protect the well-being and safety of our students. Parents, students and community members can now access two websites which will provide detailed information about the location of sex offenders in relation to their home or school.

If you would like further information please contact either the Syracuse City School District at 435-4499 or the Syracuse Police Department at 435-3020. Thank you for all you do to ensure the safety of our school aged children.

Security Procedure FAQs

Q: Will my cell phone set off the walk-through metal detector?

A: Yes, that is why you will be asked to remove it from your person, prior to scan.

Q: Can I bring my laptop through with me?

A: No, it will activate the detector.

Q: Will the metal buttons/zippers on my clothing activate the metal detector?

A: No, as the equipment operates on an Airport mode to discern metal objects.

Q: What happens if I activate the metal detector as I pass through it?

A: You will be moved aside and a staff member will use a hand held metal detector wand to re-scan only the area which triggered the detector activation.

Q: Will visitors to schools complete metal detection?

A: Yes, they will be screened.

Q: What other common items will activate the metal detector as I walk through?

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATIONThe Syracuse City School District hereby advises students, parents, employees and the general public that it is committed to providing equal access to all categories of employment, programs and educational opportunities, including career and technical education opportunities, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, Native American ancestry/ethnicity, creed or religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, disability or any other legally protected category under federal, state or local law. More info